New Antibiotic Emerges That May Be Capable of Fighting Off Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Researchers have identified a new antibiotic, zosurabalpin, that shows promise in effectively killing carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), a drug-resistant superbug. CRAB is a major concern globally as it causes severe infections, particularly in hospitalized patients, and has a high mortality rate. This superbug belongs to a group of bacteria resistant to nearly all available antibiotics. Zosurabalpin, developed collaboratively by scientists at Roche and Harvard University, attacks A. baumannii by disrupting the route of a key toxin from inside the bacterial cell to the outer membrane. This approach has not been used by any other antibiotic approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, providing a potential advantage against microbial resistance. The compound has shown efficacy in mouse studies, eradicating CRAB infections in various organs. Currently in Phase I human trials to assess safety and tolerability, zosurabalpin represents the first distinct class of antibiotic in more than 50 years capable of treating infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria. However, researchers caution that bacterial resistance may emerge in the future, emphasizing the ongoing need for a continuous supply of new antibiotic candidates to combat evolving pathogens. Click here to read more.